Man Arrows Potential World Record P&Y Desert Bighorn

A ram shot in California’s San Bernadino Mountains — measuring 180 7/8 inches — could set new Pope & Young record for desert big horn sheep.

GALLERY: California Man Arrows Potential World Record Bighorn

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<h2></h2>Bret Scott is a hunter's hunter. An avid 51-year-old archery hunter from Riverside, Calif., Scott arrowed a giant ram in the wilderness of the <a href="http://www.fs.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsinternet/!ut/p/c4/04_SB8K8xLLM9MSSzPy8xBz9CP0os3gjAwhwtDDw9_AI8zPwhQoY6BdkOyoCAPkATlA!/?ss=110512&navtype=BROWSEBYSUBJECT&cid=FSE_003853&navid=091000000000000&pnavid=null&position=BROWSEBYSUBJECT&ttype=main&pname=San%2520Bernardino%2520National%2520Forest-%2520Home" target="_new">San Bernardino National Forest</a> in Southern California on Tuesday, Dec. 20, just four days after the season opened.
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The ram green-scored 180 7/8-inches on the <a href="http://www.pope-young.org/default.asp" target="_new">Pope & Young</a> measuring system, and depending on shrinkage after the 60-day drying period, it could become the new world record for desert bighorn sheep taken by an archer. The <a href="http://www.pope-young.org/world-records_details.asp?wr=34" target="_new">current record</a> is 178 6/8 inches, taken by Jim Hens in New Mexico. And with just five rams taken in California by archers, it's about 18-inches bigger than the nearest archery ram taken in California and certain to be the California record.

<h2></h2>Bret Scott is a hunter's hunter. An avid 51-year-old archery hunter from Riverside, Calif., Scott arrowed a giant ram in the wilderness of the <a href="http://www.fs.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsinternet/!ut/p/c4/04_SB8K8xLLM9MSSzPy8xBz9CP0os3gjAwhwtDDw9_AI8zPwhQoY6BdkOyoCAPkATlA!/?ss=110512&navtype=BROWSEBYSUBJECT&cid=FSE_003853&navid=091000000000000&pnavid=null&position=BROWSEBYSUBJECT&ttype=main&pname=San%2520Bernardino%2520National%2520Forest-%2520Home" target="_new">San Bernardino National Forest</a> in Southern California on Tuesday, Dec. 20, just four days after the season opened.
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The ram green-scored 180 7/8-inches on the <a href="http://www.pope-young.org/default.asp" target="_new">Pope & Young</a> measuring system, and depending on shrinkage after the 60-day drying period, it could become the new world record for desert bighorn sheep taken by an archer. The <a href="http://www.pope-young.org/world-records_details.asp?wr=34" target="_new">current record</a> is 178 6/8 inches, taken by Jim Hens in New Mexico. And with just five rams taken in California by archers, it's about 18-inches bigger than the nearest archery ram taken in California and certain to be the California record.

<h2></h2>The ram's horns are 35 1/2- and 37-inches long and the bases of both horns measures 16 1/2 inches.
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"I just wanted a legal, mature sheep," said Scott. "Talk about way over the top."
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Scott said he's been applying for bighorn sheep since California first authorized the hunting of wild rams in the state in 1987, and he had the maximum number of preference points (10) when he applied for the tag in May. He found out in July a hunting buddy from San Diego had been drawn for a sheep tag in another California hunting zone, which was a surprise to Scott as he was unaware the drawing had even been held. So when he got to work, he logged onto the <a href="http://www.dfg.ca.gov/" target="_new">California DFG's</a> automated licensing system and saw his wait was finally over -- his name was drawn for a tag in the San Gorgonio hunt zone in the San Bernardino Mountains!

<h2></h2>Considered California's most difficult sheep hunting zone, the terrain in this part of the San Bernardino Mountains is steep, dry, and rugged. Scott said he and several hunting buddies started scouting every weekend beginning in August. By the time the hunting season opened Dec. 17, Scott had logged over 20 days of field time searching for where the sheep were at in the hunting zone. While Scott had spoken to a guide who specializes in hunting this area, he was determined to hunt on his own and bag the sheep with a bow.
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"I told everyone I was going to use my bow to the end of the season, even if I had to eat the tag," said Scott. Many bowhunters have switched over to a rifle after being unable to get within bow range, but Scott said he was determined not to do that.

<h2></h2>All the pre-season scouting and hard work paid off for Scott as he and his four hunting partners had rams in their spotting scopes and binoculars opening morning. Scott made long, difficult stalks the first two days of the season for shooter rams, but he couldn't get closer than 200 yards either day.
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His third day of hunting, he and one hunting partner put in a long day without seeing a single sheep, and worry set in with Scott that his previous two stalks had spooked the sheep away from the area. But on Tuesday morning, his fourth day of hunting, he saw sheep at first light at a great distance. A long and difficult climb revealed it was an ewe band.

<h2></h2>At 8:50 a.m., he spotted a group of three huge rams were in a group of 25 sheep. Carefully planning his approach, Scott snuck around a knob, knowing the sheep were close by.
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Suddenly a bighorn ewe was watching him from just 30 yards away. The female wasn't sure what she was seeing, so she walked to within 10 yards of Scott, where she spooked with widened eyes and crashed off down the hill.

<h2></h2>The whole group of sheep followed her, but stopped not far down the ridge -- with the three big rams closest to Scott -- still unsure of the danger. He quickly ranged the distance on the closest of the big rams at 57 yards, took aim, and sent an arrow into the chest of the big sheep.
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After the shot, the group of rams ran down the ridge but stopped when the hit ram got wobbly, laid down, and died.

<h2></h2>While Scott didn't know it at the time, a possible new world record bighorn sheep for archers was on the ground.
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Cell phones spread the news rapidly, and even before Scott had the sheep completely skinned and the meat boned out and on pack frames, two hunting buddies were already just below them on the ridge, hiking up to help. By the time he was back at the truck, the ram still on his backpack, his cell phone was ringing constantly as friends called to congratulate him. More people showed up at the truck.

<h2></h2>A Department of Fish and Game biologist met Scott later the same day to validate his tag and do a preliminary measurement of the sheep, and that was when he realized he'd taken the biggest archery-killed desert bighorn ever bagged in California and potentially the world record for archery.
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This sheep was the second bighorn taken this season in California that will set records. John Berens, also a draw-tag hunter from near Sacramento, <a href="http://www.petersenshunting.com/2011/12/13/california-record-bighorn-sheep-killed/" target="_new">shot a sheep</a> scoring 186 inches in the Orocopia Mountains zone on Dec. 3, the opening day of the season in that hunting zone. Berens sheep is expected to become the new overall California state record bighorn.

<h2></h2>The bighorn sheep seasons in California in 2012 will mark the 25th year hunters have been allowed to pursue sheep in the Golden State, with a total of over 300 bighorns taken over the years. Half of the sheep taken in the 2011-12 season had green scores of 168 points or more, making California one of the premier areas to hunt monster rams in the country.
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The problem, as with all bighorn sheep hunting, is getting a tag. The drawing odds range from about 1 in 150 to nearly 1 in 1,000 depending on zone. California added two new hunting zones in 2011-12, and the total bighorn sheep tags for 2012-13 will be 27, including a new unlimited random draw (raffle) tag. Hunters from anywhere in the country can apply for this fund-raising tag as many times as they like, paying just the $5.66 fee for each application chance.

<h2></h2>The state can't call these "raffle" tags because that constitutes gambling under the state statutes. So they are called unlimited random draw tags (more information is available on the <a href="http://dfg.ca.gov/licensing/biggame/fundraising.html" target="_new">DFG's web site</a>.
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Bret Scott just beat the odds in the regular drawing to get his tag, and then beat even longer odds when he arrowed what might end up being the largest desert bighorn sheep ever taken, a sheep living almost within eyesight of 20 million people in Southern California' urban sprawl.